Staff writer

Phillip Cortez

11 articles · mostly Credit Card Education

Articles

Credit Card Education
Reading Your Credit Card Statement: One Account, Several APRs
Multiple rates on a single card can look confusing, but knowing which balance carries which rate and how the rate can change helps you predict what you owe.
Phillip CortezOct 30, 2026
Credit Card Education
How Credit Card Cash Advances Work and What They Really Cost
A cash advance is a loan drawn against your credit line, and its fees and interest often start the day you withdraw the money.
Phillip CortezOct 23, 2026
Credit Card Education
How a Penalty APR Works and How to Get Your Regular Rate Back
Federal rules limit when a penalty rate can reach your existing balance, and a run of on-time payments can restore your old rate.
Phillip CortezOct 15, 2026
Credit Card Education
How Balance Transfers Work and What They Really Cost
A zero-percent offer can still add a transfer fee, a rate that rises later, and a tight decline window, so the numbers need checking before you move any debt.
Phillip CortezOct 8, 2026
Credit Card Education
The Fine Print Behind 'No Interest': How Deferred Interest Can Cost You
A zero-interest-looking store offer can hide a retroactive charge that reaches back to your purchase date, so knowing the difference before you buy matters.
Phillip CortezSep 23, 2026
Credit Card Education
How to Read the Schumer Box Before You Apply for a Credit Card
The standardized table on every credit card offer lists the rates and fees that shape what a card will really cost, and knowing where to find them makes comparing offers much easier.
Phillip CortezSep 16, 2026
Credit Card Education
Is a Credit Card Annual Fee Worth Paying?
Compare the fee against the benefits you will actually use over the year, and check the interest costs before you commit.
Phillip CortezSep 9, 2026
Credit Card Education
Credit Card Late Fees: Where the Rules Stand and How to Avoid Them
A vacated federal fee cap has left the amount you may owe unsettled, but the timing rules, fee limits, and grace-period basics that protect you still apply.
Phillip CortezSep 1, 2026
Credit Card Education
How to Ask Your Card Issuer for a Lower Rate or a Fee Waiver
Issuers can change terms and you can ask for relief. Here is what the rules say, when to call, and which offers to question.
Phillip CortezAug 25, 2026
Credit Card Education
How Your Credit Card Payment Gets Split Across Balances
One card can hold several balances at different rates. Federal rules decide where anything you pay above the minimum goes.
Phillip CortezAug 18, 2026
Credit Card Education
What a Credit Card Statement Closing Date Is and Why It Matters
The closing date ends each billing cycle and starts the clock on your due date and grace period. Here is how the timeline works.
Phillip CortezAug 11, 2026

Reading Your Credit Card Statement: One Account, Several APRs

How Credit Card Cash Advances Work and What They Really Cost

How a Penalty APR Works and How to Get Your Regular Rate Back

How Balance Transfers Work and What They Really Cost

The Fine Print Behind 'No Interest': How Deferred Interest Can Cost You

How to Read the Schumer Box Before You Apply for a Credit Card

Is a Credit Card Annual Fee Worth Paying?

Credit Card Late Fees: Where the Rules Stand and How to Avoid Them

How to Ask Your Card Issuer for a Lower Rate or a Fee Waiver

How Your Credit Card Payment Gets Split Across Balances

What a Credit Card Statement Closing Date Is and Why It Matters